Tamil Nadu tells SC, efforts for carrying out remaining strengthening works of Mullaiperiyar Dam thwarted by Kerala
Feb 03, 2022
New Delhi [India], February 3 : Tamil Nadu has urged the Supreme Court to direct the State of Kerala to cooperate, and provide all necessary assistance in a time-bound manner so that the remaining strengthening and maintenance works of Mullaiperiyar Dam are implemented in letter and spirit.
In an affidavit filed by Tamil Nadu, the state has sought to direct the State of Kerala to cooperate and provide all necessary assistance in a time-bound manner so that the remaining strengthening and maintenance work as directed by the top court dated February 27, 2006, and May 7, 2014, and other decisions of the Supervisory Committee are implemented in letter and spirit during the next four months commencing March 2022 to June 2022 before the ensuing South-West monsoon.
Tamil Nadu also urged the court to direct the CWC / Supervisory Committee or by its instrumentalities to carry out a review on the safety of the Dam only after completing the balance strengthening works and maintenance works as per the Judgment of this Court dated February 27, 2006, and May 7, 2014.
Tamil Nadu has filed an affidavit through State of Tamil Nadu advocate on record D Kumanan.
Tamil Nadu submitted that State of Tamil Nadu in spite of repeated efforts for carrying out the remaining strengthening works as directed by this Court, and by the Supervisory Committee, have been successfully thwarted by the State of Kerala.
The Supervisory Committee has also failed to ensure compliance of its directions in spite of recording in various Minutes of the Meetings of the Committee.
"For a meaningful fresh review on the safety of the dam, it has first to be ensured that all the measures and directions contained in the Judgment and the decisions of the Supervisory Committee are to be implemented in a time-bound manner, " Tamil Nadu said in the affidavit.
Tamil Nadu submitted that the Mullaiperiyar Dam is behaving well in all respects and the seepage rate of the dam, which is being observed on daily basis, is found to be well within the permissible limits. The lime leaching of the Dam is also being observed continuously and it is found that the leaching is far below the permissible limit, the state said adding that "There is neither deformation nor abnormality in the Dam.
"Further, silting of the Dam is very minimum. In this water year 2021-22, water was stored in the Dam at a level of +142 ft. from November 30, 2021, for about 18 days, and all the parameters of the Dam were found to be within limits. Hence, there is no ground or necessity to have a fresh review on the safety of the Dam for storing water up to +142 ft, now," Tamil Nadu said.
